Be a better friend
by WB2490
Summary: Post 10x2... it seems a little odd to me that JJ is supposed to be Penelope's best friend but didn't say a thing about her going to see Greg Baylor, so this is my little tangent to connect the two pieces. Be forewarned it is a little sappy but I get plenty of tension on the show so please forgive me the sappiness. Oneshot


On the plane back to DC, everything was normal except Derek he was odd the whole case that plus no Penelope had me worried. She was my one of my best friends and I had no idea where she was. Not until Spence told me on the plane.

"Can you believe Penelope actually went to the execution of Greg Baylor?" Spence asked casually

" She what?" my tone even surprising myself

" Yeah, that's where she has been in Texas trying to talk to him, I thought you knew " Spencer said concerned he set off something.

" Did Derek know " I ask

" Yeah, she asked him to go with her and he said he couldn't he's been pretty upset about her even going I mean he did try to kill both of us, so I see his point" Spencer explained.

I knew it wasn't logical but all I saw when I looked at Derek Morgan in that moment was red. He might be my family but I was ready to punch his lights out. I hadn't been a good friend lately, I knew that; and so did the team. They understood I had some scars from the kidnapping incident that were healing more slowly than others. All of them were there in minutes when I needed them. They gave me endless slack to be as distant when that's what I needed. There was an unspoken agreement that they would be strong where I wasn't, until I was back. Derek Morgan was on plane breaking this agreement. Penelope was my best friend and she had to shoot someone, she should have never had to shoot someone but when the moment came she stepped up and protected her family. Shooting someone is never that clear though there are a lot a feelings especially for someone as wonderfully sensitive as Penelope. Derek had become her sounding board for all of her feelings about the shooting; she didn't want to talk about the bad things with me. Even when I asked her on girls night how she was feeling she said " only positive conversations with my Jayje no more dramatic life altering experiences deal". At the moment I was so thankful for that she always helped me smile. I would have gladly talked about it with her but she was always so focused on making me smile I wasn't going to fight it. Because I trusted Derek would be there for her. But here he was with us when he should have been with Penelope. If I had know I would have been there but she didn't tell me, I have to talk to her when we I get back I thought.

" You okay JJ?" Spencer asked

" Yeah, I'm fine thanks Spence" I replied

I went over to Derek and stared him down until the headphones came off.

" What's up JJ? " Derek asked

" You didn't go with her Derek, if you didn't want to you should have told me I would have. She can't go through something like that on her own. She is one of the stronger people I know but watching someone get put to death in front of her, she needed you and you weren't there. I trusted you, I trusted that you were taking care of her but apparently your stupid pride got in the way. When are you going to learn that her right is more forgiving and kind then ours and we don't need to change that we need to appreciate it and help her keep it. " I said sternly

" You're right" Derek said quietly

" You bet I am" I said

" I will go straight to her place when we land, I need to make it right , but JJ if you can she needs you too. I know she doesn't want to talk about the bad stuff with you and I get that I don't want to do that either we are all just so happy you are here with us and we don't want to do anything to threaten that, but we have all carried a lot on our shoulders its time we all start letting each other back in. Not just back into the good parts either, all of it good and bad that's what families do" Derek said with concern in his voice.

" You are right Derek, I need to be better I enjoyed the rose colored glasses but its about good times and bad times we know that more than most " I replied

He was right and this weekend I would call Penelope and we would talk about the dramatic life altering stuff again because we needed to, because that's how we get better we talk about it, cry about it and support each other through it. It was what family is about and I needed to get back to that.


End file.
